Fintech firm Finastra has launched a product aimed at helping US banks digitise their standby letters of credit (SBLCs). StandbyX is a cloud-based solution that enables regional and mid-sized banks to automate their SBLC processing without the need for a full trade finance platform, Finastra said.   The fintech explained that smaller banks may still…

Specialist underwriting management agency Credeq has received in-principle approval for a Lloyd’s syndicate focused on credit insurance.   Syndicate 1998 will provide Credeq with extra capacity and marks a “significant step” in its growth strategy, it said.   The syndicate is expected to start underwriting from January 1, 2027, subject to final checks, and will…

The UK has been named the most sustainable trading economy for the second year in a row, according to rankings produced by the Hinrich Foundation and the IMD World Competitiveness Center (WCC). The UK was followed by Singapore and New Zealand in second and third place, as the US slipped one place to tenth and…

Worldwide trade exceeded a “record” US$35tn last year, as the demand for AI products remained a key driver of goods trade despite geopolitical volatility.   According to a report from the United Nation’s trade and development arm, the global economy has proved more resilient than expected this year, amid conflict in the Middle East, soaring…

The growing use of services across all sectors means they should also be viewed as critical for goods exports, a report from the United Nation’s trade and development arm has said. The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) found that industries across the board are increasingly embedding services in their products, even if they…

A group of Africa-focused organisations has established Easetrade, a digital platform that aims to increase access to financing for MSMEs in supply chains with limited access to formal credit. Easetrade said it plans to finance around 5,000 MSMEs and disburse US$150mn in loans over the next three years, as well as train 6,400 enterprises in…

The African Union (AU) is set to launch the Africa Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA) today in a bid to bring a deeper understanding of African economies and markets to the global credit ratings landscape. The new agency will focus on strengthening Africa’s financial architecture and closing data gaps to make sure that African firms are…

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and SMBC have launched a US$500mn supply chain finance facility that they say will help increase SME access to affordable working capital in emerging markets. The IFC will commit up to US$250mn in direct funding, while the Tokyo-headquartered bank will contribute the other half, allowing it to serve a bigger…

Belgian lender Belfius has promoted Laurianne Bouchart to head of trade finance. Bouchart joined the bank in November 2025 as head of sales for trade finance and reports to Koen Vierendeels, head of transaction banking. Her previous roles include commercial director for trade credit insurance and debt collection at Coface. Before that, Bouchart spent 14…

Tanzania’s CRDB Bank has secured a US$300mn loan facility following “record” investor demand, as the lender looks to expand its activities across trade corridors in East and Central Africa. The funding round attracted around US$744mn in total commitments, which was almost five times its initial US$150mn launch target, CRDB said.   This resulted in the…

The loss of multilateral co-operation in trade could result in global exports falling by more than a quarter, according to a report from the World Trade Organization (WTO). In its annual World Trade Report, the WTO outlined three scenarios for the future of global trade that could play out between now and 2050, and urged…

Standard Chartered has inked a Rmb770mn (US$115mn) loan with Asakabank, as the global lender looks to increase the use of the renminbi in cross-border financing. The facility is the Uzbekistan-based bank’s first renminbi-denominated syndicated loan, and it will use the financing to support clients importing goods from China, it said. Standard Chartered was sole mandated…

As corporates look to separate AI hype from real-world trade finance applications, GTR spoke to the teams at Siemens Healthineers and Komgo to explore how AI is being used in practice. “We began with a problem,” says Tim Bachinger, head of trade finance at Siemens Healthineers, describing the firm’s foray into using AI tools in…

The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has launched a captive insurance company, which it says will expand its infrastructure financing across the continent. Bermuda-based AFC Captive is backed by up to US$30mn in equity capital and will start by insuring AFC loans extended to its counterparties. “This will enable the corporation to manage and retain risk…

Iraq’s Al Mansour Bank for Investment (MBI) has secured a €65mn trade finance facility with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). MBI, which was launched in 2006 and is majority owned by Qatar National Bank Group, aims to use the funds to expand its trade finance business and boost its correspondent banking network.…

A consortium of firms is set to trial solutions using electronic bills of lading (eBLs), a digital pound and stablecoins to improve SME access to trade finance, as part of the Bank of England’s Digital Pound Lab.

Credit and political risk insurance broker Texel Group has signed a co-operation agreement with Marubeni Safenet, an in-house insurance agency for a major Japanese trading company. Texel said the agreement would strengthen its support of clients and insurers in Japan, adding that the nation was “one of Asia’s largest and most sophisticated financial and credit…

Specialist surety broker Rosenberg & Parker has hired Nathan Hummel to head up its newly launched financial institutions practice. Hummel joins from Allianz Trade, where his most recent role was head of financial institutions for surety and guarantees across the Americas. In the new job, he will lead a team advising banks, insurers, institutional investors…

Trade finance fintech Mitigram has acquired eexpand, a trade intelligence platform, as it looks to boost its trade finance capabilities for financial institutions and SMEs. Under the deal, Mitigram acquired Export Enterprises, which operates eexpand, as well as all its core assets, including business-to-business matchmaking platform Trade Club Connect and AI tool Trade Pilot. The…

Standard Bank CIB has provided a US$29mn social documentary credit facility to telecommunications tower firm Helios Towers, marking a sustainability first for the lender.   Helios Towers builds, acquires and operates shared telecommunications towers across Africa, enabling mobile network operators to extend their coverage on the continent. The new facility will allow Helios Towers to…